gender – Author Carlo Carrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 101

September 22, 2025September 22, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Rhetorical Thrill’s First Blood Reaction Video – I have seen a lot of movie reaction videos of First Blood on YouTube, and almost all of them were by YouTubers who really never saw the said Rambo movie before. For the newcomers reading this, First Blood was released in 1982 starring Sylvester Stallone at a time when the Vietnam War was still fresh in the minds of many Americans. The film was a crucial success for the production company Carolco and its theme music from Jerry Goldsmith made waves in pop culture easily reminding people about Rambo. Recently I took time out to watch Rhetorical Thrill’s First Blood reaction video which is entertaining to see as her reactions were really catchy. As First Blood is a classic among American action films and films related to the Vietnam War, I encourage you all to watch it entirely first if you have not seen it. Otherwise, enjoy Rhetorical Thrill’s reaction video below.

#2 Silent Hill (1999) Retrospective – I played Silent Hill a lot on PlayStation in 1999. I got far into the game’s story and through the many settings and challenges, but ultimately I never finished it. It was not just unique horror-themed video game. Silent Hill was very atmospheric and its approach on storytelling contributed a lot video gaming as a whole. If you want to discover who were the people responsible for Silent Hill and what the game had to offer, watch the two retrospective videos below.

#3 AI: Artificial Intelligence Revisited – AI (artificial intelligence) is wildly popular with people today for various purposes. Long before AI became a popular digital tool, the themes about artificial intelligence in general was explored by Steven Spielberg in a movie project that previously involved Stanley Kubrick (who died in 1999). That film was AI: Artificial Intelligence directed by Spielberg and released in 2001. I saw the movie on home video but it never engaged me. Of course, that did not stop AI: Artificial Intelligence from being featured in retrospective videos, review videos and movie reactions. To see what Spielberg’s movie is about, watch the selected videos below.

#4 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To The Land Before Time – What can be said about the 1988 animated movie The Land Before Time? It was directed by American animation legend Don Bluth and it involved Steven Spielberg and George Lucas as executive producers. More notably, the movie was about a group of young, talking dinosaurs who go on a series of unexpected events and adventuring which touched a lot of moviegoers back in 1988. That being said, Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video is a must-see.

#5 Ramen In Osaka – It has been almost thirty years since my first and only visit to Osaka in Japan. I had a fun few days of touring Osaka and there was a series of new discoveries I enjoyed there. I just could not remember eating ramen there. As such, I found a video about a certain ramen shop that has been serving customers with delicious meals for at least forty years now. You can learn about how ramen is prepared and what it takes to make delicious ramen that will keep customers coming back for more.

#6 You, Me and the Movies React To Pee-wee’s Big Adventure – What was the directorial debut of Tim Burton? It was in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, a comedy adventure film starring the late Paul Reubens and released in 1984. Some fans of the film called it a classic of the comedy genre and one of the funniest Hollywood comedies of the 1980s. The film keeps on making viewers laugh or smile, and you can see why by watching the reaction video of You, Me and the Movies below.

#7 The Assassination of Charlie Kirk Exposes The Evil Of The Leftists – I have said it before and will say it again…the Left is so evil and so twisted, it is truly Satanic. I am referring to the woke, the Islamo-Leftists, the liberals, the socialists, the Communists and the more. To put things in perspective, a lot has happened since the assassination of Charlie Kirk who was an American patriot, a true family man, an ally of Israel and a faithful follower of Lord Jesus. His assassination drew cheers and celebration among the Leftists which exposed further the burning evil deep within them. The Leftists are so pathetic, they and their mainstream news media partners-in-crime are LYING to the people about the assassin Tyler Robinson and about the victim Kirk. Even Bethesda – the game publisher behind The Elder Scrolls video game franchise – shamelessly mocked Kirk via social media before deleting its Tweet. Watch and learn from the videos below.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 100

September 15, 2025September 9, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Christine Grace Smith Reacts To A Video About Society Impacted When No Men Are Working – There is something new and engaging to learn about society whenever Christine Grace Smith posts a new video. Recently, she shared her own reaction to a video that explores what would happen to society if men stopped working. This is something that the woke and rabid modern-day feminists do not want you to see. I urge you all to watch her video now.

#2 Metal Gear Games Revisited – In connection with the recent release of Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater, it was not surprising that a lot of YouTube videos revisiting past Metal Gear games got published by different YouTubers. Some of those videos I found were entertaining to watch while others were reflective or even intriguing. For the newcomers reading this. The Metal Gear game franchise of Konami started in the late 1980s under Hideo Kojima when he was very young. That being said, I urge you all to take a look at the selected Metal Gear-related videos I shared below.

#3 How Alan Moore And Watchmen Spread The Wokeness Disease In Comics – YouTuber Ranting for Vengeance is back, and this time he strikes hard at author Alan Moore not personally but for sowing the seeds of wokeness in superhero comics with Watchmen as the turning point. By today’s standards, wokeness is the unfortunate new normal in superhero comics and it is a fact that Alan Moore is an anarchist and a Leftist as well. Watch and learn from the video below.

#4 Robin Hood: Men in Tights Revisited – Long ago, there were several comedy films made by Mel Brooks which delivered bouts of humor to moviegoers and raked in varying amounts in ticket sales. In the 1990s, he directed Robin Hood: Men in Tights which my friends enjoyed watching inside the movie theater. While the film is not a classic by any means – not even within the comedy genre – it still managed to entertain YouTubers through their reaction videos. Watch the selected reaction videos below.

#5 The Traditional Types of Food of Japan – While you may have enjoy varied types of food of Japan served through the many Japanese restaurants around the world, are you aware that there certain meals or delicacies of the nation that were simply not made available through those places? That being said, it would be enlightening – and even tasty – for you to visit Japan and try out the more traditional types of food the nation has to offer. Indeed, there are the 100-year food declared in Japan and you can learn more about them by watching the video below.

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USAID formally shut down and incorporated into State Department

July 4, 2025July 3, 2025carlocarrasco

They finally did it! The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) –the independent agency of the American government responsible for administering civilian and foreign aid – was formally shut down by the Trump administration and has been incorporated into the State Department, according to a news report by Breitbart.

It should be remembered that USAID was heavily abused for a long time and a lot of taxpayers’ money was abused for questionable and wrongful purposes around the world such as funding LGBTQ projects, pushing abortion overseas, overseas tourism promotions, terrorist funding, creating a Sesame Street in Iraq, creating a mural in Parañaque City, and more.

As expected, there are high-profile figures who still want USAID to continue even though the abuses have been exposed. This new development with USAID is undeniably a major change decades in the making and United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued statements defending the move.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Breitbart news report. Some parts in boldface.

The US foreign aid agency formally closed down Tuesday, with President Donald Trump’s administration trumpeting the end of the “charity-based model” despite predictions that millions of lives will be lost.

Founded in 1961 as John F. Kennedy sought to leverage aid to win over the developing world in the Cold War, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has now been incorporated into the State Department — after Secretary of State Marco Rubio slashed 85 percent of its programming.

In a farewell to remaining staff on Monday, former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama — as well as U2 frontman Bono — saluted their work and said it was still needed.

Bush pointed to PEPFAR, the massive US effort to fight HIV/AIDS that he considers one of the top achievements of his 2001-2009 Republican presidency.

“This program shows a fundamental question facing our country — is it in our nation’s interest that 25 million people who would have died now live? I think it is,” Bush said in a video message seen by AFP.

Obama, who like Bush has been sparing in openly criticizing Trump, said that ending USAID was “inexplicable” and “will go down as a colossal mistake.”

“Gutting USAID is a travesty and it is a tragedy because it’s some of the most important work happening anywhere in the world,” the Democrat said.

A study published in the medical journal The Lancet predicted that more than 14 million people would die, a third of them small children, by 2030 due to the foreign aid cuts.

‘Little to show’ – Rubio painted a drastically different picture of USAID, which was an early target of a sweeping government cost-cutting drive led for Trump by billionaire Elon Musk.

Rubio said that USAID’s “charity-based model” fueled “addiction” by developing nations’ leaders and that trade was more effective.

“Beyond creating a globe-spanning NGO industrial complex at taxpayer expense, USAID has little to show since the end of the Cold War,” Rubio wrote in an essay.

He also complained that many recipients of US aid do not vote with the United States at the United Nations and that rival China often enjoys higher favorability among the public.

A senior State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that The Lancet study relied on “incorrect assumptions” and said the United States will continue aid but in a “more efficient” way.

He said that PEPFAR will remain, with a priority on stopping HIV transmission from mothers to children.

But he acknowledged the United States was no longer funding PrEP medication, which significantly reduces the rate of HIV transmission and has been encouraged by high-risk communities.

“No one is saying that gay men in Africa shouldn’t be on PrEP. That’s wonderful. It doesn’t mean that the United States has to pay for every single thing,” the official said.

He said the Trump administration was looking at “new and innovative solutions” and pointed to food deliveries in war-battered Gaza staffed by US military contractors and surrounded by Israeli troops.

Witnesses, the United Nations and local Gaza officials have reported that Israeli troops have repeatedly opened fire and killed Palestinians waiting for aid — although the US-backed initiative, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, denies any deadly incidents.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Are you satisfied with the formal end of USAID and its incorporation into the State Department? Do you think a lot of people’s lives around the world will suffer from the shutdown of assistance from USAID?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Lesbian helper arrested for sexually abusing minor

June 17, 2025June 11, 2025carlocarrasco

Armed with a warrant of arrest, police officers of Marikina City arrested a lesbian helper in Quezon province for the repeated sexual abuse committed in 2024 against the 9-year-old daughter of her employer, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The suspect has since been transferred to and detained in Marikina City.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface.

A 40-year-old lesbian nanny was arrested for repeatedly sexually abusing her employer’s nine-year-old daughter in 2024 in Marikina City.

The Eastern Police District (EPD) identified the suspect as “Jennifer,” listed as the district’s No. 3 most wanted person. She was arrested by the Station Intelligence Section of the Marikina City Police Station in Candelaria, Quezon on June 7.

The operation was carried out by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by the Acting Presiding Judge of RTC Branch 192 in Marikina City. The warrants were for charges of Sexual Assault and 15 counts of Acts of Lasciviousness in relation to RA 7610, issued on January 28.

Authorities said the suspect served as a helper and nanny in the victim’s household in Marikina. The abuse, committed 15 times, took place from August to September 2024.

On September 21, 2024, the victim found the courage to tell her mother about the incident, prompting them to go to their barangay’s Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) desk, where they were assisted in reporting it to the police.

EPD District Director Brig. Gen. Aden T. Lagradante vowed to boost efforts to protect children and keep communities safe to help reduce cases of child abuse.

“Nakakadurog ng puso ang nangyari sa inosenteng bata. Paglalaro at kasiyahan lang sana ang nasa kanyang isipan ngunit sa murang edad ay naranasan na niya ang karahasan ng isang mapagsamantala sa kanyang kahinaan (What happened to the innocent child is truly heartbreaking. At her age, she should have only been thinking about play and joy, but instead, she experienced violence at the hands of someone who took advantage of her vulnerability),” he said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the apprehended lesbian suspect will be found guilty of committing child abuse? Do you think that there is a link between homosexuality and the sexual abuse on children? Do you think the victim and her family will get justice?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 73

April 28, 2025April 28, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 A look back at the 1998 showdown between Reggie Miller and Michael Jordan – Remember way back in 1998 when Reggie Miller pushed Michael Jordan out of the way to free himself and score the crucial 3-point shot during an Eastern Conference Finals game between the Indiana Pacers and the Chicago Bulls? There was a lot of build-up between the Pacers and the Bulls before that memorable play happened, and many other players were factors as well. Watch and learn from the Secret Base video below.

#2 Looking back at Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – Among all the many Star Wars video games I played in the 1990s, it was Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) that I enjoyed the most (read my retro review by clicking here). That was the 2^nd of three side-scrolling Star Wars games released on the SNES based on the original Star Wars trilogy of films. In today’s gaming landscape, I can only wish that the SNES Super Star Wars games would someday get re-released for modern consoles. To understand what Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is about, watch the videos below.

#3 PatmanQC examines Sega’s Star Wars arcade games – Still on the topics of Star Wars and retro gaming, I enjoyed watching another video from YouTuber PatmanQC focused on the Star Wars arcade games released by Sega. For the newcomers reading this, a lot of licensed video games of Star Wars got released from varied companies through the decades. The Sega-produced Star Wars arcade games of the 1990s were notably of high quality and a lot of fun to play with. To learn more, watch PatmanQC’s video below.

#4 Christine Grace Smith reacts to video of average men competing with really fit women – Here is another analytical video by Christine Grace Smith. This time, she’s reacting to a video about a few average men competing with really fit women in a series of physical contests. Watch and learn, and pay close attention to the details.

#5 The truth about Dwayne Johnson – You might not have seen him in professional wrestling and you most likely saw him in the movies. I’m talking about Dwayne Johnson and there are lots of things about him that turned off people. He had some commercial success as an actor but after seeing It’s Blanko video of him, your perception of Johnson will be impacted. Watch the video below and pay close attention to the details.

#6 Minty Comedic Arts examines the lost scenes of Cobra – Way back in 1986, the action film Cobra was released in cinemas and it had Sylvester Stallone as a cop who has to protect a woman from a gang of killers who targeted her. The film was a commercial success mainly due to big ticket sales outside of America. For decades, it was speculated that the film that was released was a shortened version and there were lots of footage that ended up being deleted. Minty Comedic Arts’ video below confirms that there are indeed lost scenes and had they been used, they would have altered the overall tone of the movie. Watch the video below.

#7 You, Me and the Movies reacts to Commando – Commando of 1985 is an action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and it had absolutely nothing to do with the 1985 video game of the same name. Not only was Schwarzenegger younger, you get to see him play a soldier completely different from his role in Predator. The video reaction of You, Me and the Movies is enjoyable to watch.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 72

April 25, 2025April 19, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Christine Grace Smith discusses gender differences and major UK Supreme Court decision – I like watching Christine Grace Smith’s commentary about society as well as her ways on pointing out the wrong and the twisted. Recently the United Kingdom’s (UK) Supreme Court delivered its major decision on the legal definition of the term woman in relation to human biology. Christine Grace Smith not only calls the UK Supreme Court decision a win for women (read: men who believe they are women are clearly NOT women at all), she also explains a lot of relevant stuff and details as well. It’s a win for women and a defeat for the transgender mob. Watch and learn from her video below.

#2 Predator reaction videos by Ashleigh Burton, VKunia, Popcorn in Bed and You, Me and the Movies – The 1980s was a memorable decade of R-rated action movies from Hollywood. Among them was the action-packed science fiction film Predator that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and the movie itself had a careful blend of elements from specific genres under the direction of John McTiernan. By today’s standards, Predator is a classic and now is a good time to see how it impacts YouTubers like Ashleigh Burton, VKunia, Popcorn in Bed and You, Me and the Movies through their respective reaction videos.

#3 PatmanQC examines the Alien vs. Predator arcade game – In 1994, Capcom released Alien vs. Predator in video arcades around the world. In addition to being well received by game critics, the game became a big hit commercially and added to Capcom’s credibility as an arcade industry player. If you are wondering how the arcade game first started, who the developers were and why the game was never ported to any console, watch and learn from PatmanQC’s in-depth video below.

#4 Decker Shado’s review of The Fifth Element – Back in 1997, The Fifth Element was released in cinemas and it attracted the attention of a lot of people mainly because of Bruce Willis’ fame. With its style of presentation, the movie impressed local moviegoers and there were some who found it a zany film experience. Some time ago, Decker Shado posted his video review of The Fifth Element and it is entertaining to watch.

#5 Slope’s Game Room examines the history of Pac-Man – Do you still remember playing Pac-Man long ago? As a little boy, I only played the Atari 2600 port of Pac-Man and managed to play the original arcade game on different platforms much later. There is a lot of history behind Pac-Man and it involves the growth of its game franchise and reach towards cartoons and merchandise. To have an in-depth look at Pac-Man’s history, watch the extensive video by Slope’s Game Room below.

#6 Tron revisited – You must have heard the news about the newly announced Tron sequel called Tron: Ares. Honestly, I am not too confident about it and 2010’s Tron: Legacy left me unsatisfied. That being said, the original Tron movie from 1982 remains special and memorable, and now is a good time to take a look back at it through the selected videos below. Watch, learn and enjoy!

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 56

February 12, 2025February 8, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 Saving Private Ryan reaction videos – I still remember the day I saw Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan in the local cinema in 1998. It was a mesmerizing war movie experience. Considering its acclaimed status, commercial success and impact on pop culture, it is not surprising that the movie is the subject of many movie reaction videos on YouTube. That being said, I spotted a few must-see videos. If you have not seen the movie yet, watch it first. Otherwise, enjoy the videos below.

#2 Woke game companies panic as gamers reject their games – There is no doubt that the woke virus and the pathetic DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) have infected a lot of video game companies, most notably Ubisoft and Electronic Arts. This explains why several video games ended up as creative promotions of identity politics, woke concepts and feminist garbage done at the expense of quality and fun. That being said, a lot of gamers collectively rejected the woke games by not buying them, as well as avoiding future woke releases. Be aware of the latest trends in video games by watching Adam Post’s analytical video below.

#3 US President Trump’s plan for the American takeover of the Gaza Strip – I can clearly say that US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a plan for America to take over the Gaza Strip (which is physically located within Israel and borders Egypt in the southwest) to redevelop it was both totally surprising and very ambitious. For decades now, Gaza has been a hot spot of Islamic terrorists – notably Palestinian terrorist group Hamas – who were able to arm themselves heavily, launched countless attacks against Israel, and even enriched themselves by abusing the countless humanitarian donations they received. That being said, Trump’s plan makes a lot of sense and if implemented (only after Israel concludes its war against the terrorists), it could change the tone of the Middle East. Watch and learn the details from the video below.

#4 Democrats keep getting dumber and dumber – Ever since Donald Trump returned as President of the United States, the remaining Democrats in power only turned more chaotic and dumber. In his show, Ben Shapiro explains in detail why the Democrats have gotten dumber. Watch the video below.

#5 Trump’s ban and the trans hysteria – In case you missed the news, US President Trump signed an executive order that banned men from participating in women’s sports events. In short, men who identify as women (read: transgender) are not allowed to compete with the real women in their sports activities. Since then, the transgendered mob and LGBTQ have turned chaotic. Very clearly, the Satanic Leftists do NOT care about fairness in sports, do NOT care about the protection of women, and they do NOT care about common sense! Watch and learn from the videos below.

#6 VKunia reacts to Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol – Remember back in 2011 when Tom Cruise had a successful return with Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol? Since then, the Hollywood superstar kept coming back as Ethan Hunt in more sequels and the Mission: Impossible film franchise still remains essential for both Cruise and Paramount. Witness how the 2011 MI movie impacts VKunia in her reaction video below.

#7 PatmanQC examines the history of the Superman arcade game – Back in 1989, I played the Superman arcade game developed by Taito. Even though it was repetitive and had generic villains to fight with, it was still a fun experience for me. Looking back at it, it was one of the early Superman-related video games that was made with fun and quality in mind. It even came with the iconic theme from the movie. To learn more about the history of the Superman arcade game, watch PatmanQC’s video.

#8 GoodBadFlicks examines The Cannonball Run – Released in 1981, The Cannonball Run is a action-comedy movie inspired by a real-life cross-country outlaw road race. The film had a huge cast that includes Roger Moore, Burt Reynolds, Farrah Fawcett, Jackie Chan and others. To learn more about what made the movie fun to watch and what else inspired its creation, watch GoodBadFlicks’ video below.

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Transgendered woman arrested in Cavite for sharing nude images of former partner

August 26, 2024August 16, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the province of Cavite, police officers arrested a transgendered woman (transwoman) for sharing nude images of a former partner to many people (the friends and relatives of the victim), according to a GMA Network news report. The arrest was the result of successful entrapment operation.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…

A transwoman was arrested in Cavite for sharing nude photos of her former partner to his friends and relatives, the Philippine National Police (PNP) – Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) said on Friday.

In a statement, the ACG said the suspect identified as alias “Jerica” was arrested in an entrapment operation in a drive-in hotel in Bacoor City on Tuesday evening.

The victim said he and the 22-year-old suspect engaged in video calls and exchanged explicit photos and videos, according to the police.

“After their relationship ended in July 2024, the suspect retaliated by sharing the intimate contents with the victim’s friends and relatives,” the NCRPO said.

“The suspect then demanded a meet-up with the victim promising to delete the compromising materials only if he would agree to have sexual intercourse at a hotel,” it added.

Due to this, the suspect is facing complaints for grave coercion under the Revised Penal Code and violation of Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009 in relation to Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

“Avoid sending explicit photos or videos to anyone, as it could be exploited against you,” ACG chief Police Brigadier General Ronnie Francis Cariaga said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think criminal activities involving transgendered people are bound to multiply nationwide? Are many members of your local community identifying as transgendered people? Do you think that gay pride or “Happy Pride” celebrations are distorting the youth’s perception about morality?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

A Look Back at RoboCop 2 #1 (1990)

May 10, 2024April 28, 2024carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1990 to take a close look at the comic book adaptation of the movie RoboCop 2 (1990).

Before getting to the new retro comic book review, I should state that my friends and I had a fun time watching RoboCop 2 in the cinema shortly after it opened here in the Philippines. Back then, I was not yet a comic book collector and I rarely visited comic book specialty stores. That being said, I was unaware that Marvel Comics actually published an adaptation in the form of a 3-issue mini-series.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at RoboCop 2 #1, published in 1990 by Marvel with a story written by Alan Grant and drawn by Mark Bagley based on the movie screenplay by Frank Miller and Walon Green.

Early story

The story begins in Detroit where the cops are run by corporations and the streets have turned into red-alert war zones. Crime is overwhelming the city and the highly addictive narcotic poses the greatest threat facing societies. The surgeon general who made the public warning about nuke was killed and the crime boss Cain (leader of a cult of nuke addicts and pushers) claims responsibility. Through the news media, Cain tells the public that nuke will make people’s problems go away and people want its paradise.

Under the management of Omni Consumer Products (OCP), several of Detroit’s police officers go on strike demanding better terms from their employer. The City Government of Detroit under Mayor Kuzak missed a payment (in relation to them owing $37 million) and OCP begins to move to foreclose the city and its assets in accordance to the terms of the contract. Mayor Kuzak accuses OCP of engineering the police strike which made crime rampant.

Elsewhere in the evening, the cruel activities of the thugs got disrupted by the arrival of a police car. Even though the police car got destroyed by the thugs, RoboCop emerges and begins to fight back…

Quality

*There is simply no holding back for RoboCop when it comes to doing police work at a time when many police officers are on strike while crime has turned more rampant in Detroit.*

This opening issue of the mini-series sticks close the basic plot of the movie (right until after Cain’s gang dismantled RoboCop) although there were a few notable differences with the sequence of events and there were scenes that showed the creative team took liberties to make the story suitable with the literary format in mind. That being said, don’t expect to see the key moments of the movie look exactly the same in this comic book and don’t expect to see the characters here looking like the actors who played them on the big screen. In terms of visual and literary presentation, this adaptation has a lot in common with the Total Recall comic book adaptation which coincidentally was released the same year.

For me, this is indeed a really readable comic book that has its stylized approach on telling the movie’s concept. OCP is the most powerful entity in the story while Cain and his gang are clearly the force of evil that strongly pose danger not only to Detroit’s people but even to the very divided police force. Nuke as the dangerous object of the plot clearly was inspired from elements of the real life war against drugs in 1980s America which made this story socially relevant.

*Very clearly these villains look nothing like actors Tom Noonan, Galyn Görg and Gabriel Damon.*

Like in the movie, RoboCop here performs his law enforcement duty in an uncompromising manner even though memories of his past life as officer Murphy re-emerged deep inside. That being said, there are a few moments in which you might sympathize with the titular hero as this comic book pays close attention to the conflict between humanity and technology.

The action scenes here are sufficient but clearly don’t come anywhere close to the intensity of the film in terms of violence. Still, there is enough action for readers to enjoy.

When it comes to the visuals, the artwork done by Mark Bagley eerily looks comparable with Tom Lyle’s art in the Total Recall comic book of 1990. For the newcomers read this, Bagley became a popular artist through the Amazing Spider-Man monthly series and the Venom: Lethal Protector comic books that were released after years after this one. Having seen many of Bagley’s works published in 1992 to 1995, I can hardly recognize his art style in this comic book adaptation. The way he drew people’s faces in this comic book looks very different from those seen in Amazing Spider-Man issues. At the same time, Bagley’s own take on RoboCop has that balanced approach on depicting humanity with machinery while also making the hero look less bulky compared to the movie’s version.

Conclusion

*Julie Faxx of OCP sure talks like a woke nut and rabid feminist in this scene.*

RoboCop 2 #1 (1990) is clearly not a faithful adaptation of selected parts of the movie but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. This is more about the Grant-Bagley team doing their own visual presentation of the movie script copy they had and ultimately they succeeded in making this comic book a stylized and worthy reading experience. This is indeed a surprisingly entertaining read and I can say that I am looking forward to reading the next issue.

Overall, RoboCop 2 #1 (1990) is recommended.

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Transwoman arrested by police officers for extorting money from student lover

March 26, 2024March 17, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Manila, local police officers arrested transwoman (note: Transgendered woman who is actually male but identifies as female) for extorting money from a student lover, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news article. Some parts in boldface…

A transwoman was arrested by operatives of the Manila Police District (MPD) for allegedly extorting money from his lover in Ermita, Manila on Thursday, March 14.

MPD identified the suspect as Justine, 25, a resident of Makati City.

The suspect was arrested in an entrapment operation after his 24-year-old victim, a student, reported him to the police.

Prior to the suspect’s arrest, the victim said he met the suspect on an online dating application.

He said that after a while, they became online sweethearts before they decided to meet in person in Makati City.

The victim said that during their meet-up, he and the suspect had a sexual encounter, but he did not know that the suspect was filming it.

He said that the suspect suddenly demanded P10,000 from him, threatening that he would use the sensitive video as a content on his social media account if he would not give him the money.

The threat prompted the victim to report the suspect who was nabbed in an entrapment operation inside a convenience store on United Nations Avenue in Ermita.

In a media interview, the victim said that he only found out late that the suspect was a transwoman.

Confiscated from the suspect’s possession were an iPhone and the P10,000 marked money.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about this recent development? Are you concerned that someone in your family could be engaging with strangers through online dating applications? Did someone from your local community became a victim of a transgendered crook? Do you think that a lot of extortionists, LGBTQ people and scammers are taking advantage of users on online dating applications?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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